Magpul Continues Pushing Forward with Everyday Apparel
OutdoorHub Reporters 05.10.18
Finding clothes that you like is hard, finding clothes that you like and are also perfect for concealed carry has traditionally been nearly impossible. With that in mind, many brands in the firearm and outdoor industry are beginning to wade into the apparel market with their sights set on clothing specifically designed for EDC.
Clothes shopping is typically a terrible chore and generally something that is done out of absolute necessity rather than desire. You head to the mall, wander around to a few stores hoping to find clothes that fit well and are semi decent looking. The challenge however, is if you carry on a daily basis, you also have to test the fit with your firearm. This can be especially challenging depending on the state you live in and the rules of the local mall given that many post no firearms notices.
The reality is, you can definitely find clothes that you like and will accomplish your needs in an EDC situation. You generally buy a size up in pants or shirt and you are pretty good to go. The draw back here is that these clothing options were not designed with you in mind, they were made for someone sitting in an office or relaxing at home and the mechanics of carrying or drawing a firearm were never considered. Knowing this, many brands that you have traditionally counted on for gear are wading in to the soft goods market to enhance your clothing options for everyday life. One of the biggest players making a move in this space is Magpul.
A couple of years ago, Magpul introduced apparel for “everyday wear”, taking their offering beyond the standard t-shirts with logo’s for the die hard brand advocates. Their goal was to bring to market clothing that wasn’t overly tactical but was still purpose driven and functional. The 2016 line included mostly black and grey button down shirts as well as pants and shorts. Over the last couple of years they have been continuously expanding their offering as well reinforcing the reason for it’s existence which they state simply, “We wanted functional, good-looking clothing that works with us while we’re doing the things we like to do: shooting, spending time outdoors, and making things in the shop”.
The idea behind having clothing that is catered towards EDC is fairly simple. What you wear should enhance the function of what you may do throughout the day. To that end, Magpul has made their clothing extremely durable, breathable, and functional. They have also added some small but functional features such as the bottom button of their knit shirts which is a snap rather than a traditional 4 hole button to allow the wearer to pull apart lower half of the shirt for easier access to their firearm.
Magpul is also making really great accessories for everyday use. One of the best items they have brought to market are their Tejas Gun Belts. I personally wear one of these almost every day and have found that it has not broken down or lost it’s rigidity in over a year. The belt also works extremely well with the IWB Alien Gear holster I use, mating with the clips perfectly.
They are even jumping in to provide options for when you are pool side with board-shorts and Hawaiian style shirts.
At this years NRA Annual Meetings, they had their spring line in full view which has also been updated on their site. No matter what you plan to get in to this summer, Magpul surely offers some of the gear you need to hit the range, woods, or just hang by the pool. You can check out their full line of apparel here.
